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NRP Sgt. Says Deer Rescuers Didn’t Follow Directions

GLEN BURNIE, Md. (AP/WJZ) –Natural Resources Police fined two men who helped rescue a deer trapped in a frozen river because they didn’t have life jackets or any floatation devices aboard their inflatable boat.

Baltimore County fire and Natural Resources Police officers were called to the Patapsco River Bridge last week after a deer fell through the ice.

NRP Sgt. Brian Albert says James Hart of Jessup and Khalilalim Abusakran Jr. were on the scene, but officers told them to get off the waterway because they weren’t wearing life jackets. Instead, Albert says the men continued to advance, and broke the ice so the deer could make it to the shoreline.

But Albert says because the men didn’t follow instructions, each was fined $90. The men told WJZ-TV that they plan to fight the citations.

One Comment

What about this. Lets say the NR policeman was the one that was in the water, and the two guys did not have life jackets, would they still get fined if the went out to help the NR Police. Or how about the just stayed on the shore and did nother. Give me a brake, the NR Cop should be fired.

I think it is ridiculous that they are being fined! All of the stories about animal cruelty and finally there is a story where people we helping out an animal, and they get fined?!?!?!? What kind of message does that give to the public?

The whole Department of Natural Resources serves no purpose whatsoever and costs this state a fortune for all the incompetent fools they employ. It should be disbanded, but before it is, the idiots who imposed this fine should be fired, hopefullly on Christmas Eve. These animals deserve protection from the elements, but the general public deserves more protection from these pompous morons.

As being in law enforcement for 25 years I was shocked that this officer didn’t have common sense in rescuing this animal. Would he do the same thing if it happened to be a human. Life is life regardless . Lets hope that the courts use their heads and dismiss these tickets. If it wasn’t good samartians alot of animals and jumans would die.

Lets look at it like this. Say the two good samaritans fell through the ice themselve and had to be rescued thus risking the lives of the rescue personnel? Is it too much to ask them to put on a life jacket? It’s only going to help save their lives if they were to break through the ice. Now I’m an animal lover as much as everyone else who is upset about this but you risk alot to save alot. No one really looks at the big picture.

It is things like this that happen that causes people to walk away and not help either a human or a animal because they are worried about getting in trouble.I think the officers who wrote the tickets should be suspended and retrained on the good merits of what these two gentleman did.

You have to be kidding me. Talk about the Grinch!!!! Sometimes you have to do what is right in the situation like these guys did. You throw rules and regulation to the wind when someone or something is in dire need of help. That is the problem with our country today, they legislate and make laws for everything “for our own safety.” It will probably cost them more to fight it but I am glad they are. It is the principle of the thing. I also like everyone’s comparison as to what if it were a human in the water. Good points.

the two men did not follow the lawful order of a police officer. they put themselves and the first responders at undue risk. it’s a deer. had no one been there, the deer would have drown – nature does not care. welcome to the circle of life.

These guys did a terrific job. If DNR was so worried why didn’t they go in, or were they to chicken? A life is a life no matter if it is animal or human. Hope the deer rescuers win on their day in court.

My feeling is, the NRP wasn’t going to lift a finger to save the deer and they were going to let it drown so they wouldn’t have to do anything about it. The rescuers should be commended for their efforts and the others should be given pink slips for dereliction of duty.

My understanding of the law, as applied to adults, is that there must be flotation devices in the boat but not necessarlily worn – based on statements by the men involved, the boat had those onboard. The real issue here however is that this Country was built on people willing to risk their lives for what they believe in, the Government was not, and should not be used to protect us from ourselves. Every year people die or are injured doing things they are passionate about like rafting, sky diving, etc. If that passion is to take a risk to save a deer then God Bless them ! It’s great to be an American